Coin-controlled apparatus



W. M. UPDEGRAVE.

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, 1920.

1,40 ,317, Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

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5] vwen for aitowm UNITED STATES WILLIAM M. UPDEG-RAVE, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

Application filed February 12, 1920. Serial No. 358,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM M. UPDE- ermvn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Controlled Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in coin-operated weighing machines, wherein provision is made for permitting the coin, following its operation to release the weighing mechanism, to follow an irregular path toward a series of outlets, with one of suchoutlets delivering to a container for returning the coin to the operator, While the other such outlets direct the coin into the coin receptacle of the machine. The coin path is purely a chance one, and hence the possibility of the return of the coin to the operator merely a chance result, as practically no two coins, unless possibly identical in weight, size, and other characteristics will follow the same path.

Another feature of importance in connection with the invention, is the provision of means wherein the coin, following its weighing mechanism release, is automatically directed toward an initial path, such coin setting the directing means so that th succeeding coin is directed toward another initial path. Thus each coin is directed or started in a direction different from that of the immediately preceding coin, to thus add tothe variation, or chance of variation, in the final delivery of the coins.

A further detail of the present invention resides in the arrangement of the coin delivery means and the path defining memhers, together with means for receiving and directing the coin into the delivery means, infull view of but closed against access by the operator, so that thevarious movements of the coin will take place in full view, to thus add to the attractiveness of the invention.

The invention in the preferred form of details will be described in the following specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, partly broken out, showing the invention in position in a conventional coin-operated weighing machine.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same.

The invention, as here shown is applied to a coin-operated weighing machine 1, wherein through the deposit of a coin in the slot 2, the weighing mechanism is released to indicate on the dial 8, by means of the pointer 5, the weight of a person or object on the platform, all as is well understood.

Heretofore, the coin, following the release of the weighing mechanism thereby, is directed through a passage in the interior of the machine into a coin receptacle. The present invention is directed to providing means whereby the coin is caused to follow a tortuous and irregular path in full view of but inaccessible to theoperator, with the final delivery of the coin a possible return to the operator.

The means employed in carrying out the sets such means so that the coin next to be delivered or directed with such means is given an opposite path. From the directing means the coin passes down through a series of pins arranged in staggered order, so that the coin is compelled to travel an irregular path; and finally, the coin reaches one of a series of outlets, one of which directs the coin to a receptacle opening outside the machine, and therefore accessible to the operator, the other outlets leading to the coin receptacle of the machine.

The coin receiving means comprises a receptacle 6, open at top to receive the coin following its operation of the weighing mechanism, and open at one end, so that when the receptacle is in proper position the coin will gravitate therefrom. The receptacle 6 is carried at one end of an arm 7, supported on a pivot-bar 8, sensitively mounted between inner and intermediate glass or other transparent sections 9 and 10, which glass sections are preferably CO8X- tensive with the face portion of the weighing machine. A balance arm 11 is secured to the arm 7 or to the pivot bar, and provided with an adjustable weight 12, whereby the movement of the receptacle 6 may be made sensitively responsive to the weight of the deposited coin.

The coin-directing means comprises .a series of pins 18, bridging the space between and preferably secured in the glass sections 9 and 10, the pins being arranged to define a substantially oval space having an upper entranceopening 14: and a lower outlet 0pening 15. A deflecting plate 16 is pivotally supported within this space, the upper end of the plate being arranged to be limited in movement in either direction by the upper pins 13. The portion of the plate above the pivot is somewhat longer than the portion below the pivot, and the outlet opening 15 is so arranged that a coin can pass there through only when the deflecting plate is substantially in a limit position. Thus as the coin dropping into the space defined by the pins 13, engages and moves down the defleeting plate, it will swing the plate on its pivot in order to reach the outlet 15, and thus incline such plate directly opposite its former inclination, and thus position it for the next coin. Thus each coin sets. the deflecting plate, in its passage through the space defined by the pins 13, directly opposite from that when engaged by such coin.

The coin-path defining means comprises a series of pins 17, arranged transverse the space between and preferably supported in the glass sections 9 and 10, the pins 17 being in staggered order, and occupying substantially all space below the coin-directing means. The pins are so spaced as to readily permit a coin to pass between them, but due to the staggered order of the pins the coin will necessarily follow an irregular path, with, however, a constant tendency toward the lower end of the face portion of the machine.

The face of the machine is rounded, as shown, and at the central portion of the bottom thereof, there is provided a series of outlets, a central outlet 18, and side outlets 19. The central outlet leads to a coin receptacle 20, accessible from the outside of the machine, while the outlets 19 lead to the coin receptacle on the interior of the machine.

The coin, following its weighing mechanism release, drops into the receptacle 6, overbalances the same, and as such receptacle swings downward is delivered into the space defined by the pins 13 of the coin directing means. The coin engages and trav els down the deflecting plate 16, and through the outlet 15, the plate being turned as the coin travels down that portion below the pivot. The plate will thus direct thecoin toward one sideor the other, according to its inclination, and hence the coin will be delivered to the pins 17 at an angle tothe ver tical. The turning of the deflecting plate by a coin will of course reverse such plate for the next coin, so that such next coin will be delivered directly opposite to the particular preceding coin. The coin then passes down through the pins 17, being constantly deflected from a direct course, until finally such coin'reaches and passes through one of the outlets 18 or 19. If the former, the op erator may recover the coin, if the latter the coin is held within the machine.

The face of the machine is provided with the usual pointer 5, whereby the weight isindicated as is understood. For the purposes of this invention such pointer is mounted on a pivot held between the glass plate section 10 and an outer glass sect-ion 22, forming the actual face plate of the machine. The coin-chance means is thus arranged wholly. between sections, the outer one of which is glass, while the inner'one may be of glass, though not necessarily so. The outer or face plate proper is of glass, so that the full operation of each coin is in full view of the operator, and a decided at tractiveness is thus added to the usual weighing operation. The possible chance of having the coinreturned is a further advantage, though the invention is more particularly concerned with the attractive advantage of watchin the coin in movement through the parts described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A. coin controlled apparatus having mechanism to be actuated by a coin, a series of elementsarranged below the said mechanism to provide an irregular path for the coin following the actuation of said mechanism, and a plurality of final passages'for the coin, the particular passage being determined by the chance path of the coin 1 through said elements.

2. In a coin controlled apparatus, means providing a visible irregular path for the coin, and a plurality of outlets at the end -of such path, one of which'leads to the return of the coin to the user.

3. In a coin controlled apparatus, an irregular coin path, and a variable coin direct- 11 ing means for such path, said means directing successive coinsin relatively different directions.

1. In a coin controlled apparatus, a coin directing means to be set by the coin being directed for a different direction of a succeeding coin, and a series of pins below said means for compelling irregular directiontravel of the coin. i

5., In a coin controlled apparatus, a coinreceiver, a changeable coin directing means arranged below the receiver, and a series of pins arranged in staggered order below the directing means.

6. In. a coin controlled apparatus, ,a coin receiver operable by the weight of the coin,

a coin deflecting plate arranged below the receiver and operated by each coin to a diiferent position, and a series of ins arranged in staggeredorder below said plate.

7. A coin controlled apparatus, including a transparent face plate, a coin receiver arranged in rear of said plate, a variable coin directing means arranged in rear of said plate and adapted to receive the coin from said receiver, and a series of pins arranged in staggered order in rear oi: said plate and into which the coin is directed by said means.

I spaced plates one of which is transparent,

a coin receptacle pivotally mounted between said plates, a series of pins defining a coin space arranged between said plates and below the receptacle, a deflecting plate pivotally mounted between said plates and within said coin space, and a series of pins extending between said plates in staggered order and below said deflecting plate.

10. A coin controlled apparatus, including. a coin receiver and changed in position by each coin passing therethrough, a coin directing means below said receiver, and a series of pins arranged in staggered order below said directing means, said pins leading to a series of outlets, one of which delivers the coin beyond the apparatus.

11. A coin controlled weighing apparatus, including coin operated weighing mechanism and a plurality of pins arranged in irregular order below said weighing mechanism to provide a visible irregular path for the coin following its complete operative effect.

12. Acoin controlled weighing apparatus, including coin operated weighing mechanism, a plurality of pins arranged in irregular order below said weighing mechanism, and means for directing successive coins in diiferent paths into said pins following the operative effect of said coins on said weighing mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture;

l/VILLIAM M. UPDEGRAVE. 

